The decree banning citizens of 12 countries from traveling to the United States goes into effect.

BarcelonaThis Monday it came into force the executive order signed by Donald Trump last week which prohibits entry into the United States to citizens of twelve countries, in addition to imposing restrictions on seven other states. The measure will further heat up the situation in the city of Los Angeles, where since Friday hundreds of protesters have clashed with federal police officers in the raids to detain and deport immigrants, and have even tried to stop buses carrying migrants with their bodies. In fact, two more demonstrations are planned for the city this Monday: one against the new measure restricting entry into the United States, and another to demand the release of union leader David Huerta, arrested on Friday in a raid on a company in the city.

The twelve countries affected by Trump's new decree are Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. On the other hand, the seven states that have limited or restricted entry as of this Monday are Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela. Trump has justified the measure by saying it is necessary to protect "national security."

Also relying on alleged security concerns, he ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles this Sunday to quell protests against the deportation of immigrants. To do so, he invoked a controversial federal provision and bypassed the authority of California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, something unprecedented in the past sixty years. The first National Guard troops arrived in the city this Sunday.

However, hundreds of people demonstrated again this Sunday in the center of this city in the western United States. This time, the protest was peaceful, but some altercations occurred after dark. Groups of hooded youth burned five taxis, deflated the tires of parked vehicles, and defaced the facades of some government buildings. Officers tried to disperse them with tear gas.

Trump described Los Angeles on Sunday as a city "invaded and occupied by illegal immigrants and criminals," and asserted that the protests "strengthen" his resolve to deport. He also declared that the "radical left" is behind the city's unrest.

On Saturday, he posted on his platform, Truth Social, that if California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass cannot do their jobs, "the federal government will step in and solve the problem." Shortly after, the president signed a presidential memorandum to deploy National Guard troops to "address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester," according to a White House statement. To do so, Trump invoked the Insurrection Act of 1807, which had not been used since 1992. Shortly after, Trump also warned that he would ban the use of masks at demonstrations.

California Governor Gavin Newsom called the decision to deploy the National Guard "deliberately provocative." In a message on the X network, the Democratic governor said that Trump was deploying the National Guard "not because there is a shortage of law enforcement, but because he wants a spectacle," adding: "He's not giving them any. Don't use violence. Speak peacefully." In fact, the Los Angeles police themselves assured that the situation was under control and that the protests that remained on Saturday night were peaceful, but nevertheless, the White House said it was going ahead with the deployment of the National Guard.

Criticism – echoed throughout the country by all representatives of the Democratic Party – to which Trump's team responded with a forceful threat: to directly arrest the governor and mayor. "The governor of California and the mayor of Los Angeles could face arrests if they overstep their bounds," said Tom Homan, known as Donald Trump's border czar, in an interview on NBC News. "I'll say this for anyone: It is a serious crime to harbor and conceal an illegal immigrant, knowing that he is an illegal immigrant. It is a serious crime to prevent law enforcement from doing their job," he added.

For his part, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had also warned on Saturday that the Pentagon was prepared to mobilize active-duty troops "if the violence continues" in Los Angeles, adding that the marinas Camp Pendleton, near Los Angeles, were already prepared and "on high alert."

Protests against deportations have intensified in recent days in Los Angeles, where the population is largely Hispanic and foreign-born, especially in the Paramount area. The unrest erupted Friday night after ICE agents arrested at least 44 people in several raids across Los Angeles for alleged immigration violations.